Syphilis on the Rise in Military Pregnancies

From 2012 to 2022, the number of pregnant women in the Military Health System (MHS) who had syphilis went up big time – by 233%! In 2012, there were 123 cases, which is about 66 out of every 100, 000 births. By 2022, that number jumped to 169 cases, or around 220 out of every 100, 000 births. But it’s not just the moms. Babies born with syphilis, known as congenital syphilis, also saw a huge increase – by 355%! In 2012, there were only 9 cases, or about 7 out of every 100, 000 births. By 2022, that number skyrocketed to 32 cases, or roughly 31 out of every 100, 000 births. Who’s more affected? Women who are active-duty service members have been hit harder than other pregnant women in the MHS. And get this – when they find a case of maternal syphilis, it’s not always right. Only 59% of the time is the case actually confirmed. That’s not very reliable, is it? So, what’s next? Researchers are now thinking about why some cases might not be real (misclassification) and if pregnant women in the MHS are getting checked and treated early enough. They also found that the rate of syphilis among active-duty female service members who are pregnant is higher than among all female active-duty service members. This could be because more screening is happening. It’s crucial to pinpoint why these numbers are rising and ensure that all pregnant women get the care they need.